When he was last seen in public, at the funeral of robbery mastermind Bruce Reynolds, Biggs stuck two fingers up at journalists.

Ronnie Biggs gestures to waiting photographers as he arrives to attend the funeral of the mastermind of the robbery, Bruce Reynolds (Picture: AFP / Getty)

The coffin was surrounded by floral tributes and messages, and adorned with a red ribbon which read ‘Ronnie’.

The funeral cortege, with a guard of honour formed by 13 Hell’s Angels bikers, left the home of Biggs’ son Michael and daughter-in-law Veronica in Barnet this afternoon.

The coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs is carried down the aisle at Golders Green crematorium (Picture: AFP / Getty)

Biggs, who could not speak due to his strokes and communicated through a spelling board, said last year: ‘If you want to ask me if I have any regrets about being one of the train robbers, my answer is, ‘No’.

He won worldwide notoriety after escaping prison and living the high life in Rio de Janeiro.

Biggs, who was re-arrested in 2001 after more than three decades on the run, was released from prison in 2009 on compassionate grounds due to ill health.

epa04007246 Mourners pose for photographers with floral tributes, reportedly sent by Charles Bronson and carrying an old ten-shilling note reading ‘Ronnie Biggs R.I.P. Terry’ at the funeral of the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Ronnie Biggs, a British petty criminal who became infamous for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and his subsequent life on the run, had died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December 2013. Biggs was part of a gang that held up a Royal Mail train, making off with 2.6 million pounds. Biggs received a 30-year jail sentence in 1964, but escaped after havng served just 15 months. He then used his share of the money to undergo elaborate plastic surgery in Paris, before travelling on to Australia. It was the beginning of 35 years on the run, most of which were spent in Rio de Janeiro. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa04007204 A hearse carrying the coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs arrives at Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Britain’s Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December. Biggs won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa04007212 Members of the Hell ‘s Angels arrive on motorbikes at the funeral of the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs outside the Golders Green Crematorium in north London 03 January 2014. Biggs died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December and won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa04007181 A hearse carrying the coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs arrives at Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Britain’s Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December. Biggs won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa04007193 Mourners carry the coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs inside Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Britain’s Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December. Biggs won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

A band play in front of the hearse carrying the Coffin of Ronnie Biggs as it arrives at Golders Green Crematorium in North London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2014. Great Train Robber Biggs, who gained notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died last month at 84. See PA story FUNERAL Biggs. Photo credit should read: Laura Lean/PA Wire

Mourners at the funeral of Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green Crematorium in North London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2014. Great Train Robber Biggs, who gained notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died last month at 84. See PA story FUNERAL Biggs. Photo credit should read: Laura Lean/PA Wire

epa04007261 Mourners pose for photographers with floral tributes, reportedly sent by Charles Bronson and carrying an old ten-shilling note reading ‘Ronnie Biggs R.I.P. Terry’ at the funeral of the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Ronnie Biggs, a British petty criminal who became infamous for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and his subsequent life on the run, had died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December 2013. Biggs was part of a gang that held up a Royal Mail train, making off with 2.6 million pounds. Biggs received a 30-year jail sentence in 1964, but escaped after havng served just 15 months. He then used his share of the money to undergo elaborate plastic surgery in Paris, before travelling on to Australia. It was the beginning of 35 years on the run, most of which were spent in Rio de Janeiro. EPA/ANDY RAIN

The coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs is carried down the aisle at Golders Green crematorium (Picture: AFP / Getty)

A band performs as it leads the funeral procession of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green crematorium in north London on January 3, 2014. Biggs, who was part of the gang that robbed a night mail train travelling from Glasgow to London on August 8, 1963, seizing £2.6 million — a record at the time and the equivalent of £46 million (54 million euros, $75 million) today, died on December 18, 2013. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEALLEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

Family members, guests and Hell’s Angels riders attend the funeral of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green crematorium in north London on January 3, 2014. Biggs, who was part of the gang that robbed a night mail train travelling from Glasgow to London on August 8, 1963, seizing £2.6 million — a record at the time and the equivalent of £46 million (54 million euros, $75 million) today, died on December 18, 2013. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEALLEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

epa04007202 A hearse carrying the coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs arrives at Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Britain’s Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December. Biggs won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa04007247 The coffin of train robber Ronnie Biggs is carried from the hearse at his funeral on arrival at Golders Green Crematorium in north London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Ronnie Biggs, a British petty criminal who became infamous for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and his subsequent life on the run, had died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December 2013. Biggs was part of a gang that held up a Royal Mail train, making off with 2.6 million pounds. Biggs received a 30-year jail sentence in 1964, but escaped after havng served just 15 months. He then used his share of the money to undergo elaborate plastic surgery in Paris, before travelling on to Australia. It was the beginning of 35 years on the run, most of which were spent in Rio de Janeiro. EPA/ANDY RAIN

Mourners arrive at the funeral of Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green Crematorium in North London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2014. Great Train Robber Biggs, who gained notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died last month at 84. See PA story FUNERAL Biggs. Photo credit should read: Laura Lean/PA Wire

Members of the media photograph the funeral of Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green Crematorium in North London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2014. Great Train Robber Biggs, who gained notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died last month at 84. See PA story FUNERAL Biggs. Photo credit should read: Laura Lean/PA Wire

A band play in front of the hearse carrying the Coffin of Ronnie Biggs as it arrives at Golders Green Crematorium in North London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2014. Great Train Robber Biggs, who gained notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died last month at 84. See PA story FUNERAL Biggs. Photo credit should read: Laura Lean/PA Wire

A band play in front of the hearse carrying the Coffin of Ronnie Biggs as it arrives at Golders Green Crematorium in North London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday January 3, 2014. Great Train Robber Biggs, who gained notoriety for spending 36 years on the run after escaping prison, died last month at 84. See PA story FUNERAL Biggs. Photo credit should read: Laura Lean/PA Wire

Michael Biggs attends the funeral of his father, Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green crematorium in north London on January 3, 2014. Biggs, who was part of the gang that robbed a night mail train travelling from Glasgow to London on August 8, 1963, seizing £2.6 million — a record at the time and the equivalent of £46 million (54 million euros, $75 million) today, died on December 18, 2013. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEALLEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

Michael Biggs attends the funeral of his father, Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green crematorium in north London on January 3, 2014. Biggs, who was part of the gang that robbed a night mail train travelling from Glasgow to London on August 8, 1963, seizing £2.6 million — a record at the time and the equivalent of £46 million (54 million euros, $75 million) today, died on December 18, 2013. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEALLEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

epa04007225 The coffin of train robber Ronnie Biggs makes its way to Golders Green Crematorium in north London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Ronnie Biggs, a British petty criminal who became infamous for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and his subsequent life on the run, had died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December 2013. Biggs was part of a gang that held up a Royal Mail train, making off with 2.6 million pounds. Biggs received a 30-year jail sentence in 1964, but escaped after havng served just 15 months. He then used his share of the money to undergo elaborate plastic surgery in Paris, before travelling on to Australia. It was the beginning of 35 years on the run, most of which were spent in Rio de Janeiro. EPA/ANDY RAIN

epa04007216 A band leads the hearse of train robber Ronnie Biggs at his funeral on arrival at Golders Green Crematorium in north London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Ronnie Biggs, a British petty criminal who became infamous for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and his subsequent life on the run, had died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December 2013. Biggs was part of a gang that held up a Royal Mail train, making off with 2.6 million pounds. Biggs received a 30-year jail sentence in 1964, but escaped after havng served just 15 months. He then used his share of the money to undergo elaborate plastic surgery in Paris, before travelling on to Australia. It was the beginning of 35 years on the run, most of which were spent in Rio de Janeiro. EPA/ANDY RAIN

epa04007215 Well-wishers arrive at the funeral of train robber Ronnie Biggs at Golders Green Crematorium in north London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Ronnie Biggs, a British petty criminal who became infamous for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and his subsequent life on the run, had died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December 2013. Biggs was part of a gang that held up a Royal Mail train, making off with 2.6 million pounds. Biggs received a 30-year jail sentence in 1964, but escaped after havng served just 15 months. He then used his share of the money to undergo elaborate plastic surgery in Paris, before travelling on to Australia. It was the beginning of 35 years on the run, most of which were spent in Rio de Janeiro. EPA/ANDY RAIN

epa04007197 Members of notorious motorcycle club Hell Angels arrive on motorbikes at the funeral of the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Britain’s Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December. Biggs won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

epa04007192 Mourners carry the coffin of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs inside Golders Green Crematorium in London, Britain, 03 January 2014. Britain’s Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has died aged 84 at a care home in London on 18 December. Biggs won notoriety for his role in holding up a Royal Mail train in 1963, before eventually fleeing to Rio de Janeiro and spending 35 years on the run. EPA/FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA

At the time of his escape, Biggs had served just 15 months of the 30-year sentence he was handed for his part in the robbery of a Royal Mail freight train between London and Glasgow on August 8, 1963.